Underground Film Links: February 20, 2011

By Mike Everleth ⋅ February 20, 2011

Usama Alshaibi’s Profane debuted in Berlin last week and the film already garnered a review by Ceven Knowles. To be honest, I haven’t read it yet because I’m waiting to see the film first without preconceptions. But, I think it’s a positive write-up.

I always praise J. J. Murphy’s indie film reviews, but I was exceptionally thrilled to hear him write positively about the work of Sean Baker, particularly Baker’s Prince of Broadway. I haven’t seen this film, but I am a fan of his first film Four Letter Words.

Professor Tryon muses on the role of video stores and online video sharing sites on our culture. Don’t get me wrong, I love video stores to death, but I worked in several of them and the vast majority of the customers did not make them great socializing hubs, if you know what I mean.

That said, I will go on to praise Video Journeys in Los Angeles as one of the last great video stores where I do enjoy chatting with the clerks about the movies.

Underground Film Feedback (2 comments)

My post may have seemed a little too nostalgic, but I’m certainly aware of the limitations of the idea that video stores (or book stores) could be social hubs. I’d also point out that online hubs–Meetup groups, to name just one example–can help to promote other forms of socialization.

At the same time, I am probably waaay too cranky given my background and interests. I certainly had customers I enjoyed interacting with … it just usually wasn’t over movies. Plus, the knucklehead customers are such a time and emotional drain that they always stick out in the mind first.

What’s interesting though, is that as far as stores go, video stores ARE one of the few places one can strike up conversations about similar interests with random strangers.

For example, it’s generally “ok” in a video store if you see someone pick up a box for a movie you like, to blurt out, “I liked that movie a lot.” The same way you WOULDN’T say in a Target, “I love using that detergent,” even though TV commercials pretend otherwise.